Victims are threatened with arrest for failing to provide a DNA sample
Maybe youve heard of the missed jury duty scam. A scammer, pretending to be a law enforcement officer, calls someone at random and threatens them with arrest because they failed to obey a jury duty summons.
Now, theres an updated version of that scam that is showing up in several states, including Idaho. The Idaho State Police (ISP) reports residents are being called and told they, or a family member, did not take a DNA test as ordered.
The scam perfectly mirrors the jury duty scam. In many cases, the victim is told they missed a mandatory DNA test and that a warrant has been issued for their arrest. Once the victim is upset, the scammer tells them the matter can be resolved with a payment.
Why DNA?
If using a missed DNA test as the basis for a scam seems odd, consider this:Many police departments around the country have programs to test DNA from convicted offenders for a sexual assult database. Idahos Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) team is a federally funded program dedicated to lawfully collecting and profiling these DNA samples.
In addition to victimizing people, ISP says these scams risk deterring cooperation and compromising trust in legitimate investigative efforts by muddying public understanding of DNA collection processes.
Our SAKI team is committed to collecting lawfully required DNA samples to ensure justicenot to scare or threaten people over the phone, said Mark Denhardt, SAKI Site Coordinator. These scammers distort our purpose, creating confusion and undermining public confidence in important programs. If you receive a call like this, please dont engage. Verify by contacting us directly.
Red flags
The biggest red flag with this scam is the offer to resolve the issue by making an immediate payment. Things dont work that way.
The other red flag is the sense of urgency the scammer tries to create, essentially saying Pay up or youre going to jail. If legitimate law enforcement has an issue with you, they will send you a letter through the U.S. Mail or, in some instances, send an officer to your home.
If you receive one of these calls, just hang up.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-10-29 16:42:21